BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of Meeting held on 15th March 2016
Attendance:Chair: Bruce Galliver (President)
Clerk: Sally Savage
Name
Aled Davies
Kitty Hilton
Graham Briscoe
Maggi Thomas
Michael Roy
Kathryn Jeanes
Jessica Milton / Position
VP Welfare
VP Activites
External Trustee
External Trustee
External Trustee
Equal Opportunities Officer
Environment & Ethics Officer / Name
Jenna Rainey
Ben Jones
John Smythe
James Lloyd / Position
Media & Events Officer
Art & Design Campuses Officer
Student Trustee
Student Trustee
In Attendance
Sarah Dawes Chief Executive
Shaun McGall Lay Member
Oliver Kasper Democracy, Representation & Welfare Manager
Susan Hammond Student Experience and Enterprise Manager
Apologies:
Ed Stevens External Trustee
Item No / Points of Discussion / Actions
2. Conflicts of Interest / Shaun McGall and James Lloyd declared a potential conflict of interest with regards item 8b
3. Minutes of last Meeting / Agreed as true record.
4. Matters Arising / SD – Board development day has been held.
15/21 - SS Provided explanation to SM
SD/BGThe Letter of Representation and Annual report 2014-15 were both signed following the meeting. SD informed the meeting that the Annual Report had been presented to the University Board of Governors as part of the annual cycle of monitoring reports to the University and would shortly beloaded on to the Charity Commission Website.
15/22 - BGinformed the meeting that a response to the HE Green Paper was submitted following consultaion with Board members after the last meeting.
15/23 - Findings of the Review had informed the Charities Bill currently progressing through parliament. SD awaiting bill to receive Royal Assent to ensure all implications considered. Expected review of our internal practices will take place summer 2016, prior to start of next academic year.
15/25 - SS informed the Board that the work on the fixed asset register has been started and is ongoing. The Asset Register almost completed. The final stage is to finalise disposals and label individual items. This would enable an Asset Management plan to be developed to ensure the Trustees are able to consider future funding requirements and make provision in the Union’s reserves.
15/28 – SD/BG The Equalities Policy was approved by Student Council and is now on the website.
15/29 – SD/KJ – The Procedure for the Remnoval of Trustees, Officers and Representatives had been amended as discussed prior to approval by Student Council and is now on the website.
GB suggested that to improve governance procedures and time management for the Board, the CEO prepares progress report for each meeting for any matters arising. / SD
SS
SD
5. Chair Business / None
Items for discussion or review
6a
6B
6C / Risk Management Update Report.
SD presented the corporate risk management action plan monitoring report outlining the actions being taken to control key risks facing the organisation.
Risk A1 – GB asked if the Board had determined the priority for restoring services to students should major disruption occur. SD confirmed this would form part of the business continuity Plan development.
Risk P1-4 – SD explained that she was currently looking at whether the NUS Quality Mark would provide the same organisational support to the Union as participating in the IIP accreditation. As such it may not prove value for money to undertake both and she would inform the Trustees accordingly.
Elections Report
BG gave a verbal report on outcome of the Union elections. Points made included
- All positions were filled except the Care Leaver Rep
- New - Candidates Academies were held for potential candidates prior to nominations
- Only one complaint was received and following investigation it was decided that no further action required.
- The new VP Education role had attracted six candidates
- New - Live voting statistics could be viewed on the SU website
- New –We held a Results Evening to create more of an event around the announcements. This was well received.
- 52% of candidates disclosed some form of disability.
SM asked whether we were looking to engage those that stood but were not elected, to support those elected. OK added that there would be debriefing for candidates and described how this would be an opportunity to do this.
GB suggested that potential future candidates could be invited to attend board meetings as an observer
SM suggested that they should also be able to shadow sabbatical officers.
OK thought both were good ideas and is also looking in to holdingresidentials.
BG provided a list of all those elected to the board.
The Board noted the content of the verbal report.
Board Effectiveness Review
SD introduced the notes from the Board Effectiveness Workshop with Jackie Hunt and the findings from the Search Committee who had considered the report at their meeting on 8th March.
From the review session it emerged that there needed to be a better balance to meetings to enable more time for forward thinking and strategy. SD introduced the new style agenda format for comment.
She added that Items for Receipt only would provide an overview from the other committees but would usually not be discussed. She added the importance of papers being prepared in a manner which would give trustees a sufficient overview of discussions and decisions in committees.
GB added that such items were often known as silent papers and documents from other meetings could be included that were of interest or relevance to the work of the Board.
The following recommendations also came from the review
- meetings should have a 5pm start time
- Buddy groups should be formed to include an external trustee, a sabbatical officer and a student officer. These would meet informally prior to Board meetings to provide mutual support and insight for Board members.
The Board approved the implementation of the recommendations from the Board Effectiveness review and the introduction of the new style agenda. / SD
7a
7b / Strategic Focus
2015 – 2016 Quarter 2 Performance Report
SD presented the Quarter 2 performance report and an overview of key achievements.
One achievement noted was that Clubs & Societies now have 1881 members which is twice the number of four years ago.
SM suggested the monitoring of membership renewals to see how this changed. JL said that a key issue was not only retaining members but also getting them involved in the committee.
KH said that an aim was to encourage 2nd year students to join new clubs and societies and that the new give it a go sessions had helped.
SM said that the lack of investment in sports facilities by BSU had been a major problem for the University. SD informed the Board that the current sports facility provision was a key item of discussion with the University and a shared priority for both the Union and University.
Draft Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020
SD advised all present that certain elements of the presentation were currently strictly confidential and these details were not to be discussed or disclosed to others not present.
SD presented slides outlining the draft strategic plan and the work undertaken to date which had informed the emerging themes.
SD and BG had been invited in to the recent BSU Senior Management Team meeting and presented the document, the response was very positive.
SD added that the plan was in the early stages and the next steps would be to undertake further research and consultation to inform the final draft.
SD also described the work underway with BSU to discuss the strategic foundations to the plan such as the block grant, facility development and the relationship between the two organisations.
SM thought it was very positive by putting the student first with the backup of direct research. He suggested that we may be able to work more closely with BSU to share insight in future.
SM noted that the Students’ Union is not mentioned in the BSU strategy but added that our strategy aligning with the vision of the University was a positive move forward.
MR added that he thought it was excellent document and that engagement, communication and research is the way forward.
The Board approved the key themes for the emerging strategy and agreed that the final draft would be brought back to the next meeting in May. / SD
Items for receipt / F & Resources Committee minutes23.02.2016
Search Committee Minutes 08.03.2016
9 / Any Other Business
S. Savage informed the Board that the 12 month fixed rate bond with the Charity Bank had now matured and as such would like the approval of the Board to re-invest the £85,850 currently held at the bank into a notice account.
The Board approved that £85,850 be re-invested in a Charity Bank notice current account with the highest current available rate. S Savage confirmed this would be a 365 day notice account which currently had a 1% interest rate.
BG informed the board that he had been invited by the Vice Chancellor to accompany her on a trip and this would mean he was not available to attend the next board meeting. It was agreed that a suitable alternative date would try to be arranged.
SM advised that it was reported in the local newspaper that only one student voted at Newton Park at the recent Council Referendum. It was suggested that a letter could be sent explaining that many students may live off campus and may have voted elsewhere and examples of positive student engagement in the community. / SS
SD
BG
Meeting closed at7.45pm
Date of Next Meeting: TBC
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